 | | | | | “But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’” — Luke 19:8 | | Imagine an old, abandoned home where the front porch has rotted and collapsed over years of neglect. You can stand on the sidewalk and apologize to the neighbors all day for the eyesore, but the structure remains dangerous and broken. Real restoration requires rolling up your sleeves, replacing the ruined beams, and putting in the work to build something sturdy and safe again. Words alone cannot repair a broken foundation. When Zacchaeus encountered Jesus, he didn't just express regret; he took immediate, practical action to make things right with those he had harmed. Making direct amends to people wherever possible calls us out of the realm of good intentions and into active restitution. Making direct amends means facing our past actions with courage, acknowledging the damage done, and taking concrete steps toward restoration. It is not merely saying "I'm sorry," but actively rebuilding trust through transformed behavior and humble action. |
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| Take one concrete action today to repair a past wrong, whether it is making a overdue payment, returning something borrowed, or offering a sincere, humble apology. |
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| Lord, guide me to make sincere and timely amends. Give me the wisdom, humility, and courage to make things right. In Jesus' Name, Amen. |
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| You can also learn more from our book, Freedom From Addiction: A 12-Step, Scripture-Integrated Recovery Curriculum, by visiting our Books page. The curriculum provides a comprehensive, Scripture-integrated approach to recovery, combining the proven principles of the 12 Steps with biblical truth to support lasting transformation for individuals, families, churches, and recovery ministries. For additional details and resources, please visit: | |
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| | Together, we can build a brighter future, one life recovered at a time. | |
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Stay Connected section with links to RGV Road to Recovery's social media platforms for ongoing engagement. |
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| P. O. Box 442, Latimer, IA 50452 |
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